Christmas 08

Christmas morning came way to early! Mike put together the kitchen Santa brought Izzy ( so nice of him to leave it for us to assemble!). Mike's family left after the progressive dinner about midnight so we started and finally at 2 am we were done. At 7:30 am on the dot Isabel comes in our room, it took Mike a full 5 minutes to wake up with Isabel saying "Daddy it's open present time! Daddy wake up!" We learned an important lesson, open big presents last, she saw her kitchen under the blanket and was so excited to see it that nothing else was quite as exciting but we got her distracted enough to open her other presents.
I realized that there are no pics from Mike or I opening presents but many from Isabel. THe first is her joy in the kitchen then her sharing a drink from it. And of course our family picture... you can see the bags on our faces, but it was a great morning. We topped it off with homemade cinnabon rolls from a recipe Jeni sent me. They were very good (if a little undercooked!). Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

For my sister

This post is for my sister. She came to visit us for a week this month and we had so much fun! We went shopping, looked at wedding stuff, she tried on wedding dresses ( you should have seen the excitement on her face... oh wait...), took Isabel to the play ground, watch her get stuck on the equipment and I had to climb up to get her off. We made sugar cookies, well Leslie and Isabel made most of them. We made chocolate candies for Christmas and liked our fingers all day from yummy dark chocolate, she wrapped and wrapped presents and had Isabel bring them to the tree. Oh and I spend hours online looking for red wedding dresses. All in all it was a ton of fun! OH and I forgot the best part. Neither Mike nor I had to clean the kitchen for a week!!! Man I miss my sister.




By the way my child is SO unphotogenic....

more pictures needed

I have all these great pictures from when my sister was in town and I can't find the cord to download.... again. So later I'll post pics from her visit and Christmas. But we had a great visit and Isabel is still asking about her Auntie Weswy. We shopped, made cookes, played and played and made candies. We loved having her here and can't wait until we see her in June for her wedding!!!

WOOO HOOO

So my sister's on town, so much fun! Lots of pics to post after she leaves tomorrow.

Another Sunday

I really enjoyed today. This morning was very calming, relaxing, and just plain peaceful. Church was good as usual, I was able to sub for the first our of nursery and see how stinkin cute the kids are as they are singing their songs. Then after the meetings I went and met with Bishop. He had mentioned to me on Thursday that he had something for me. I went to his office and he handed me a piece of paper. It was Brooklyn's certificate from her blessing. It was so great to receive it and truthfully at first I didn't look at the name and figured it was something for Isabel and it took me a second to register why he had a slight look of sorrow on his face. When we left church and I read the words on the page it hit me. That blessing was the very last experience that she had in her mortal existence. The second that blessing was completed she returned home to Heavenly Father. The memory brought tears to my eyes then and still is now. As simple as that certificate is, most all who read this have a one for each of their children, it is the tangible evidence of the very last moments I had with her. I do wish that I had written down or been able to record the amazing words that came out of my husbands mouth direct from Heavenly Father but also know that there was no way I would have been able to write at that time.
Although the tears keep coming, it is a sweet reminder, painful, sorrowful but sweet as well. I have something to remind me of the words, the emotions and the peace that came with those few seconds. I can only hope that memory will last forever.

It's here

Today is Dec. 11. While this date may not seem like anything, today is my daughter's due date. It's weird to think that after all that has happened, most of it wasn't "supposed" too. Silly Heavenly Father! I am so thankful for HIm, His plan, His love, His mercy. We have been blessed beyond measure and have been closer to Him thru this whole thing.
On a lighter note, I FINALLY have pictures of Isabel's room, all done, a little messy but done. She loves her flowers and shows everyone, and I mean everyone her flowers, she's so proud. **** I forgot to give credit to Cheyenne for helping me with the flowers! Sorry Cheyenne!****







This past week we also took Isabel to see Santa, she didn't like him much but she enjoyed the crafts that they made. Snowmen on a paint stirring stick that you put in the ground to measure snow fall, playdoh galore, and the pool filled with cotton. She also learned something new....


We also made cinnamon rolls for some friends and she is a little helper, when she can stay focused.




And lastly we went to a remembrance service at the funeral home and Katie babysat Isabel. They played piano, Isabel did a light show since she can reach all the light switches in their house and made graham cracker houses. This is Isabel's after the ride home, the roof fell in, but she loves it and still talks daily about it.


Last night our cousin Chelsea came over and had dinner with us. She is awesome and I loved having her come! We talked and talked all night. I have picture but this is getting long and there are SO many pictures to run thru. We did a 20 min photo shoot because it would be torture for Isabel to actually look at the camera and smile. So I'll post those in a day or so!

I do like Sugar

I am very proud of my Crimson Tide this year. Although we didn't get to beat Florida this year, it was a hard fought game. I am tired of seeing.. "Florida swamps the Tide" on headlines... it was not a blowout, it was very evenly matched until the last 5 minutes of the game. Stupid sports writers. I am glad to be at the Sugar Bowl where we have had some amazing games and we are playing another undefeated team. It should turn out to be a great game. However all those silly Utah fans... look out! Tides' coming!

Highs and Lows

Today was a great day, in part. I went to the Holiday party my (old) work put on and I got to visit with some great co-workers and thank people for their contributions to our family trust fund, they raised a lot of money for us and we were able, with all total donations from everyone who gave, pay for all of my daughters medical bills as well as her memorial costs. It was a HUGE relief. Since I know some of them read this blog THANK YOU again! Then right as it was ending I won a $100 gift card! I was so giddy the rest of the night.
After the party I went to my church for a candy making class which was great.. such yummy food! But then end of the class was very sad. A friend from church has a little girl who was just diagnosed with a VERY aggressive cancer. She'd had emergency surgery on Thanksgiving to remove some tumors and they just received the call tonight on the biopsy. They have to start treatment right away. My heart breaks for this family. FOr those of you who are in my ward that didn't get an email for phone call, we are having a special fast on Sunday even though it's Stake Conference.

My hopes and prayers are with this family and the road that lies ahead. It's so hard not know ing HEavenly Fathers plan and just trusting in it when tragedy strikes within your family. Somedays, some moments, knowing that he loves us and looks out for His children and will carry them and us home just isn't enough, but with His help we can get thru it.

a journey in to my mind

I was decorating today and found my favorite lil' red trees. Now I'm moving things from where they normally go so I was looking for a home for our lil' nativity also. I put them together on the table and it looked a bit bare, so I had the idea to try adding some fabric to it.





Then Mike helped me decide that it may not look the best but that I could add garland. I like they basic look of my table and told Mike that in all the pictures and depictions there were not forests of green during Christ's birth. Then the next thought was that there probably wasn't a white ground with red and green polka dots. THEN the light turned on! My fabulous fabric was foretelling the story of Christ's life. The white was His purity, the red and green represent the Atonement in the garden of Gethsemane. I am so good it's scary!

In case you are wondering... I did remove the fabric.

Not much new

Here I am looking at friends blogs and feeling the need to post but I don't have much to say. Today has been a lazy day, Isabel had a fever yesterday and took a 5 hr nap, woke up for 2 hrs then back down for 10. I just laid her back down. All this morning has been cartoons and movies. But she needs it and is super cute when she's a little sick. I guess I'll decorate my house today. I made Izzy's stocking this morning so I want to get the three of them hung. Happy decorating everyone!

Attention Ladies and Gentleman

I think a large, loud, screaming from the top of our lungs is way over due...
ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While watching the game on TV and trying to 'teach' rammer jammer to Isabel, I don't think that cheer could have been any louder. It was crazy just listening to it on TV, the announcers were hard to hear and I laughed when they ran out of things to say and just stopped talking to you could here it, over and over, and over, and over again!

I can't wait for Florida next week.

Thanksgiving part 2

We had a feast and I loved it! My turkey was so moist (granted when it's undercooked it will be), at least the breast meat was cooked all the way through! My mashed potatoes were great but SUPER thick, green bean cassorole was good as was the stuffing. Sadly, so so sadly, my famous sweet potatoes were not the best. I think I figured out what I did wrong but they were so runny. And to top it off, I'm pretty sure the whiskey didn't get cooked out all the way. I was so depressed about those, so I think I'll get a couple of sweet potatoes from the store and add them in and re-cook it. But to end the day by pecan pie was to die for! SO that made it all worth it. Next year I'll figure out how to do it all better and hopefully won't be so overwhelmed by the idea of it all. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat though.
Mike took pictures of my table for me. We all wrote reasons why we were thankful for everyone in the room and placed them in envelopes so everyone could have theirs. I think all in all it turned out to be a great night. We sat and watched CHristmas movies and talked all night. Of course we did a bit of prepping for black friday.

Katie ( Mike's sister) and I were up at 4:30 to go to toys-r-us and wait in a 1/2 mile long line. All that just to go in and realize that the toy I wanted wasn't on sale, so we left. We came home went back to bed and woke up at 9am. Then all four of us went to find Katie a new phone so we hit Costco, bestbuy and the Sprint store. Then to target for fun since they had movies at such a great price, 6 movies later we left. The Christmas tree is put up and decorated, Isabel helped, and now we move from the season of thanksgiving to the season of joy and wonderment but truthfully they all go together. This is the best time of the year, and I am so excited for it.

So here are some pictures, the place settings and table for Thanksgiving, Isabel NOT posing next to the tree with an ornament around her neck and her hiding under the chair. Enjoy!

What I'm thankful for.

I wanted to join the many others and list the things I am grateful for on this day.

1. Mike- This man is AMAZING!
2. My daughters- they have both taught me amazing things about myself, about this Gospel and about how to love
3. Family- mine and Mike's they have been there for us and helped us in ways they could never know
4. Home- I love my home and although it may not be Mike's favorite, he makes it all he can for me.
5. Food- I love to eat and eat and eat and have been through lean times without much of it.
6. Gospel- words cannot adequately describe what this has done for me.
7. TV - I admit very often my sanity is found here, it's a stress reliever and a babysitter.
8. Friends- More then ever before, this fall I found the importance of wonderful friends
9. Modern medicine- I would not have had either one of my girls with out it.
10. China- not the country (although it does have it's merits), I like having nice things and using them
11. Talents- I may not have a ton but I'm cultivating my scrap booking and sewing, it's so much fun!
12. Patience- Don't laugh! But I have learned from my daughter how to have and apply it, somewhat...
13. Sunshine- It can lift your mood on the dreariest of days
14. Cars- I'm lazy and it's nice to not have to walk or bike 30 miles away
15. Peaceful moments- need I say more
16. Cows (I'm stealing from Cheyenne)- one word... CHEESE
17. Cookie dough- a staple of my diet
18. Modern conveniences- computers to appliances, life is easier with them.
19. Callings- I really enjoy teaching Relief Society and hope that I can get better and better with time.
20. Holidays- Helping us all to remember and pay tribute to what's important.
21. Twilight- and others similar. Stories that take you away and evoke emotions and feelings that let you escape.

I'm sure I could think of many more if I sat here all day but I truly hope that everyone here get to enjoy their Thanksgiving day.

Thanksgiving Part 1

I am so excited for Thanksgiving this year. Mike's family is coming to our house. Cindy, Eric, John (Mike's g'pa), Jameson, Sheri (sis in law) and Katie. I get to cook for 9 people. I spent today making pecan pie, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and a pumpkin pie/cheesecake. Tomorrow I'll be doing the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. I'm very tired but it's so worth it. It's not often I get to do something for his family to show my appreciation for all they do. Cindy is brining the rolls, I figure I can delegate those, plus Cindy's are SO good. Thankfully I was smart and I pulled out my china and set the table yesterday so that's all ready, all we'll have to do for tomorrow (besides cooking) and clean off the kitchen table to set all the food on. We're also pulling out all the Christmas movies so we can ring in the Christmas season. We'll pull out the games also. It's going to be a fun holiday. I even made place cards... nothing fancy but I made them! Now I just have to find where i put them..
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, I hope you have a great time and get to give many thanks to family and friends.

GO BLUES!

No I haven't changed allegiances.. but Mike took Isabel to her first hockey game... and she was able to cheer Go Blues! On a side note if anyone followed the Roll Tide/Go Ducks fiasco between me and my sister... the Blues were playing the Ducks so Mike had to quickly train her again the Ducks were bad... Unless you talking to my sister in which she can cheer with her. So back to the night at hand. Isabel was having fun with the folding seats and finally catapulted herself into the people in front of her. Thankfully they didn't mind and just laughed. They had to leave after the 2nd period and Isabel was waving and saying by to everyone, and the game. So my daughter has been to her first professional sports game, she's still talking about it, all day long!


YEA!!


GO BLUES!!!


Aunt Katie and Izzy read to cheer!


just before flying off the seat!


So excited about the game!

Twilight

I went and saw this with the girls last night and I loved it! The obnoxious screaming girls were a bit much, especially when Edward finally come in but it was so much fun. I can't wait for the other two movies and I really hope they will do all four. And of course I am dying to see it again and again and again and again and... well you get the point. I'm going to try and take MIke to see a matinee showing next week.

Update!
Mike took me to see the movie again last night. He thought it was ok but I did pick up on a few things I missed the first time around. I love how the movie evokes such great emotion, I think I was more nervous during the fight scene this time around. And Ashley, somethings were different in my mind but many of the things in the book are hard to translate over into the screen, so I thought it was well done. They also didn't have a huge budget this movie but surely will for the next so that might make a difference also.

A great weekend

This past weekend, thanks in part to my boss at work, Mike and I were able to finally have some time for us. We had the awesome opportunity to head to down Alabama for a football game. Courtney called me Wednesday night and told us she got tickets for us to the Miss State game ( ROLL TIDE!!!) and since Mike had never been to a game, and well, we needed time away, we went. Isabel stayed here with Mike's mom who watched her for the weekend (thank you Cindy).
We stayed at the cutest bed and breakfast. The owners took such great care of us and cooked us wonderful food. (thanks to the Barr B & B). We of course did a bit of shopping at Alumni Hall, my new favorite store there. Ate great food, went to Pepito's, my favorite, etc. The game was awesome, Mike is truly an Alabama fan. Sunday we headed to our old ward and it was so great to see everyone again. Thanks everyone who came up and spoke to us, we loved seeing everyone so much!
Isabel had a great time with her extended family. I'm guessing she was told how her grandma was so proud of her because when we picked her up and got her in the car, she was trying to hug my seat and kept saying, "I so proud of you momma". So yea, my 2.5 yr old is very proud of her mom!
Today was also a great day. I finally got a new hairstyle for Isabel. Annette, you have inspired me! I was always so jealous of her girls.

Commissioned Watercolor Portrait GIVEAWAY!!!!

Commissioned Watercolor Portrait GIVEAWAY!!!!

Food Storage

Sunday, all day, I just had this overwhelming feeling that we needed to make a change on how we were spending our money so we took our money set aside for our personal trainers for Christmas and purchase more food storage. So... enter COSTCO! Granted I will probably need to order some food from provident living or some other company but for now we have a TON of food, (and condiments and spices). Normally when we spend a lot of money we almost always feel guilty afterwards in some respect or another. However, this time was so much different. We felt so good about what we had purchased, even though we spent more money then I had planned on the whole trip (I forgot we had no food to eat on a normal basis so we needed to get normal food also!). I am so grateful for food storage, no we haven't had to use it yet but knowing it's there is great. I love knowing that we are preparing ourselves more fully for the future, whether it's a pandemic, a loss of income, we are more prepared. And don't worry, we did not forget the oreos!

It figures

I was supposed to work today. I got showered, all dressed up (well dressed) make-up on. Costco was first on my list then the HS afterwards. I called my boss to double check things and found out that the HS was cancelled (not school but me working today), then I figured out that Mike has my wallet and he left for a funeral. So here I am all dressed with Isabel, and no where to go. I could clean my house but who wants to clean in good clothes, and I don't want to change just to change back on two hrs. Plus I feel silly wearing make-up and sweats. I feel like I'm stranded at the prom.

So instead I'll blog about our family trip on Saturday. We took Isabel to the science center. She loved the Dinosaurs, until she got to close, it was a Tyrannasaurus Rex that was standing guard over his pray. A triceratops lying on the ground with teeth gouges and it was still breathing. Kinda creepy. We stopped by the Build-a-bear and Izzy ran around looking at it all, we decided no to by one there. She was scared of the blow up great white shark display also. We ended by walking over the freeway in the hallway conncecting the two sides of the center and Isabel loved standing over the clear glass inserts on the floor watching the cars underneath, and then running to the space ship stuff. Oh and I got practically no pictures of the stuff she loved.
Also is this great video of Isabel from last night, she's getting excited for Christmas!


Balancing skills


working hard to be like hamsters


So excited to get inside


Eating in the car

ROLL TIDE ROLL

I'm so done with games like that! It wore me out... out date last night didn't go nearly as well as hoped I was so tired!... I didn't beat Mike at putt-putt... we tied. Similar to how Bama was... maybe we should have had a playoff hole!

argghh

COME ON BAMA!!!

A new day

Today I got to sit for a couple of hrs and talk to a friend of mine. It was so wonderful to be able to visit with her, these last few weeks have been crazy for her and we have both been busy. The kids just play (with time outs sprinkled in!) and we could talk about church, food storage, then end of days, politics, gas prices and whatever else we wanted. So Thank you to my friend... I love you!

My turn

Ok I I never do tags but as I'm sitting here watching Lil' Einsteins with Isabel I figure...why not.

SO...

8 TV shows I watch
1. Chuch
2. Burn Notice
3. CSI: NY
4. CSI
5. CSI: Miami
6. House
7. Lil' Einstines
8. Handy Manny

8 Things that happened yesterday
1. Girl time at a friends
2. Put 3 kids in time out for not listening. They just couldn't stop banging the doors!
3. Went to the fabric store for a sale
4. Stopped by a friends to drop of her Arbonne stuff
5. ate cookie dough
6. Bought stuff to make Isabel a stocking. (hey Jeni, I'll race you!)
7. Called people for work
8. Emails, blog etc

8 Favorite places to eat:
1. Pepitos (maybe it's just nostalgic and I don't have it here.. so it's always sooo good!)
2. Courtney's house
3. My house -breakfasts are the best!
4. Franco Tratitoirias (I butchered this spelling, we just found this restaurant and I love it!)
5. Taco Time
6. Macaroni Grill
7. Chevy's
8. Arby's
(wow, that was hard... we don't eat out enough I guess...)

8 Things I am Looking Forward to:
1. Having our business take off... we are so close
2. Thanksgiving at my house this year!
3. Visiting Alabama SOON
4. Christmas
5. Isabel being potty trained
6. My sister's wedding!!!!! (these are in order of happenings... not importance)
7. Having another baby... no I"m not pregnant but I want to be, and I can't right now
8. To stop looking forward and start enjoying today

8 Things on my wish list:
1. President Mitt Romney
2. Alabama National Championship
3. To go to a Bama game this year
4. To win the $15,000 shopping spree the radio station is giving out
5. To have Isabel potty trained
6. For my family to come down for Christmas like they were supposed to
7. For our business to take off!
8. GMC Acadia

8 Tagged People
1. Who ever wants to or none at all....

and the rational T comes back

Ok, so I've calmed down a bit and would apologize to everyone but luckily, most everyone knows me, so y'all know that after about 10 min, my rant is done. But thanks for understanding! I will do my best to also support our President in his duty. While I don't agree with most of what he's doing, or saying... I truly hope I can 'eat' my words and that he'll turn out to be great for this country. We need to get our country back on its feet and fix it from within. I to realize the hypocrisy in this statement, but I am tired of the name calling and bashing (yes I was guilty on my last post... but it wasn't really about our president so does that count?) I may not agree with everything Obama said but he is our president and I can only hope for the best. May God bless him and what are hopefully good intentions for our country... or at least bless us for trying to follow God's will... (remember the 12th article of faith!)

Worst of it all

I saw a picture from Chicago and it has a very bigoted man smiling like a complete idiot...Jesse Jackson,(and Al Sharpton) the biggest pig headed racist of them all, will see this as a victory for him when he must be the biggest failure to the movement that Martin Luther King started. It may not be all bad but we may have just handed hell it's hand basket. I hate that man, he will keep me from going to heaven...
Oh well... I hope Mr Obama will be a good president but most anything would impress me about him anyways... I just hate that all we'll here is black black black.... yep lets keep the race issue going... (Leslie no comments please I'm just having a illogical rant and I'll calm down soon...)
However John McCain is such an amazingly positive man... I truly look up to him...

But I'll always hate Jesse Jackson (and Al Sharpton) and his smugness...

Why I love Isabel!

I'm making a book on Blurb about Brooklyn. Isabel sees the picture and says... "That's my Brooklyn". I asked how she was doing and Izzy says. "Brookwyn's with Jesus, in da ceiling!" So maybe when we point to Heaven we should do it outside!

Sunday... not my favorite

Yesterday was awful. Lately I've had a really hard time with Sunday's. Most people ask me if it's because of my daughter but honestly I'm not consciously thinking about her every time. Part of it is that we have 12:30 church and I get a bit bored waiting for it to start... but then unconsciously, who knows. Fast Sunday's are usually emotional still and we had this nice lady in our ward bearing testimony of her granddaughter who was born prematurely, her daughter called and wanted her to pray immediately, long story short , her granddaughter was fine. I love stories like this for those involved, it's similar to Isablel's story but is it wrong of me to not want to hear them?
A friend of mine who just went thru a tough time also reminded me that between being hormonal, stress and the unconscious thoughts of our minds I could just be screwed up. And that's ok, for now.
The quilt I finished was also what I put all my energy into the first 2 weeks after She passed and now it's done. I don't know what to do now. The only other project is Isabel's room and it should be done in a day or so, then what? It was so easy to get thru the first month or so because I had stuff to keep me busy whether friends or projects. I still have friends but since I can't call them to drop their lives every day, it's just projects, and I'm out.
I hate that the emptiness in my heart is feeling so incredibly huge right now but since I'm only 5 weeks out from her due date and it's holiday time I guess it's normal. But I can't wait for this to pass.

Halloween!

I am finally posting some halloween pics from our three outings. The first set are from the pumpkin patch we went to, the second are from carving pumpkins with friends and that last are from Costume parties... and if you're not sure, it's tribute to the Number 1 team in college football!!! (please don't jinx them...)

I Finished it!!!

So this is my first quilt. I am very proud of it. All that is left is to send it to my mom and have her do the actual quilting on a machine she has access too. Enjoy!